Automatic drop leaf table



March 12, 1935. H. HOWE AUTOMATIC DROP LEAF TABLE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 18, 1952 INVENTOR. HARO/. Howe,

ATy/oRNEx March lf2, 1935. H. Howl-2 1,993,787

AUTOMATIC DROP LEAF TABLE Filed April 18, 1952 5 Sllees-Sheefl 2 IN VEN TOR. A64/raus` Hon/7 BY l Y T RNEY.

March 12, 1935. H. HOWE 1,993,787

Y AUTOMATIC DROP LEAF TABLE Filed April 18, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 12, 1935 My invention-relatcsfto Yan automatic;v drop lleaf table Vandhas Ifor its primary' "object: -theprovision of a table provided Witlracentral 'pede estal support, a top thereon, randv 'drop' leavesv '5r secured-to the edges'of said top and connectedv v with -said vpedestal in such a lmanner that 'the distance between the points v of connection withA the" leaves" and the pedestal jmay' bevcha'nged,

rA "further objectfof l'my invention "lies in thev provisionl of a folding #me'airisy for" the drop leaves comprising links connected at .one end with said leaves andrat their oppositeends with the pedestal or a part thereon', land rotary means'for moving the pedestal ends of said links to shorten the distance between the yoppositeends 4of'fsaid links and said pedestal whereby [to *fold said '(jv l A veryimportantobject ofmy invention, eX-V pressed in one modification', lies inthe provision of a folding and unfolding means'for the drop leaves'which operates smoothly-and evenly upon relative rotation between the table top and the pedestal and which inthe'unfoldedposition of the drop'leaves provides a' rigidsupport therefor. f y

A further object of my invention lies'in the provision of foldingnieans forthe drop leaves which comprise links fpivotally 'connected to the leaves and to thepedestaland disposed in angular relation't'o the tabletop.A --A further object of my invention lies in the provision of a 'foldingmechanism :of this charily assembled and which'mayfbeoperated with extreme'ease'and smoothness. Y

Still'another-objectlies inthe provision of a locking means forr thetableitop'at its 'limits of lof normal rotation, t hat is, With-the drop leaves in the folded and unfolded `positions.. A Still another object lies inthe provision'of the arrangement of ,parts which permits ready and easy assembly ordi'smantling, thus greatly facilitating the economical lpacking and shipment of thetables."

Other objects andadvantages will be apparent as Athe description aproceeds, reference '110W` being had to the-iigures of the acccmpanyingdrawings forming part of this ,application and rWherein like referencenumerals indicate like parts.

In the drawings: Figuren-1 yisfa-.topuplan View of my table with the drop leaves in unfolded position and with acter Which is inexpensiveto manufacture, ease' theffoiding and flocking .means :illustrated in.

dotted lines. i Y

'.'Figure .2 is a smilarLtoplplan view of the table but with the drop leavesfolded.

.,Figure 3V isIabottom plan view of the table `with the drop .leavesunfolded and vwith the supporting pedestal shown .ini section.

Figure .Alisa sideview of thetahle with the drop leaves unfoldedl Figure 5 `is a bottom plan view of the table with the drop leaves infoldedposition Aand with the vpedestal .supportin fsection. f

Figure 6 is a 'detail'view `partly in section, .and partly broken away, illustrating'the pivotal connection y,between .the tableI `top rand .the Apedesta and taken on thefline-Bof `Figure 4. vI Figure '7 is adetail `view illustrating a modication of the invention. g Y

@Figure 8 is 4aisectional View taken on the line 8-.8 of Figure 7. Y 1 I The reference Acharacter 1 refers to th sup-v porting pedestal `of the table which lmay be of any desired design,"size, orjconguration and which may be provided with long or short laterally extending supporting Alegs 2. In oneformv of my invention, andrfor many purposes the preferred form,there `is suitably secured to 'the upper end of the pedestal 1 a flat circular plate or disk 3 preferably in the form of a casting,

havingdownwardly extending .flanges liwhich embrace the iupper circumference or sides of the pedestal 1,-and non-rotatable with respect to the pedestal.

Provided centrally in theturntable disk 3 is a key sloth overlying the vupper endA of the pedes-y tal 1. A.Directly beneath .this key slot- 5 the pedestal isV cored 'out to provide a circular .opening 5a of adiameter slightly larger than ythe length of the key slot, for a purpose whichWillpresent-H ly appeal .The table top is indicated at Gland is provided y centrally on its underside. with a fiat turntable disk orfplate 7 adaptedf'to contact with' and rotate upon theupper flat surface of the disk 3 on the pedestal. Thev disk '7 is provided centrally with a downwardly extending stud 8 having a laterally extending key 9 of-a size to enter the keyslot 5 in the disk 3. `'This key 9 when passed through the key slot VV5 extendsfinto the `opening '5a provided in the upper'end of the pedestal beneath the disk Bland thus free relative ro.- tation is provided betweenthe top;6 `and .thetpedestal `1.

AIn 'orderztoxlimit 'the `rotary'fmovement of the top 6 with respect to the pedestal 1, and in order Sv vf Leoavsv and the supporting pedestal that when the drop that the top 6 may not become inadvertently disengaged from the pedestal by bringing the key 9 into registry with the slot 5, the edge of the disk 3 is provided at two predetermined spaced points with notches 10 and 11 and with a shoulder 12. Slidably mounted upon the underside of the top 6, and guided as by the straps 13, is a latch member 14, the outer end of which is provided with a downwardly turned finger piece 15 and the inner end of which is reduced to provide a nose 16 for engagement within the notches 10 and 11 on the edge of the disk 3. A coil spring 17 is anchored at one end to the underside of the table top as at 18 and attached at its opposite end to the latch 14, thus normally urging the latch into disk engagement. The position of the notches 10 and 11 and the shoulder 12 on the edge of the disk 3 with respect to the latch 14, is such lthat when the latch is engaged in either of the notches 10 or 11, the table top will be held at its limits of movement with respect tothe folding and unfolding of the drop leaves as hereafter described. If the drop leaves are disconnected, however, as will be more fully pointed out, and it isdesired to remove the top 6 from the pedestal 1, the top may be turned to bring the shoulder 12 into engagement with the latch nose '16 in which position the key 9 will be in longitudinal alignment with the key slot and may therefore be lifted out. It will be noted, however, that in both of the locking positions and 11 thekey 9` is out of registry with the key slot 5 thus preventing inadvertent operation of the table top and pedestal.

Hinged to each edgeof the table top 6 by any suitable pivot or hinge means 19 is a drop leaf 20 adapted to. be folded to theposition under the table top 6 shown in Figures 2 and 5 or unfolded to the outward position flush with the table top 6 shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, thus considerably enlarging the table top surface.

In order that these drop leaves 20 may be automatically and simultaneously folded and unfolded upon rotation of the table top on the pedestal l, I have provided a connecting means between the pedestal and such drop leaves. Suitably secured to the 'pedestal l at oppositely disposed po'ints thereon, and substantially below the top 6, are angle brackets 21 extending laterally outwardly from the pedestal 1. Secured to the underside of each of the drop leaves 20 and substantially centrally thereof are pivot members 22. Connecting each of the pivot members 22 with its adjacent angle bracket 21 on the pedestal 1 is a link 23 secured at oneend to the pivot member 22 as by a rivet 24 and at its opposite end to the bracket 2l as bya pin 25, extending through an opening in the end of the said bracket and maintained in such pivotal connection byY means of a Cotter key 26 passing'through the projecting end of the pin 25. It may be stated that the openings in the ends of the links 23 are slightly larger than the pins 25 to permit movement between them when the drop leaves are folded and unfolded.

From this construction it will be obvious that upon rotation of the table top withv respect to the rpedestal 1 the position of the links 23 with relation to the pedestal and drop leaves changes as illustrated in Figures 3 and 5, resulting in either folding or unfolding the drop leaves between the limits of movement defined by the lock notches 10 and 11. The links and attached parts are so positioned with respect to the drop leaves leaves are in unfolded position, as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, the links 23 form a straight line right angular brace and support for the drop leaves, thus giving them greater rigidity and strength in their unfolded extended position. It will be understood, of course, that the same folding action results if the pedestal be rotated with respect to the top. y

In the modification showny in Figures 7 and 8, the top 6a is fixed rigid'with the pedestal 1a by any suitable means such as the screws 6b. Fixed around the pedestal 1a and spaced from the top 6a is a bearing collar 50 upon which is rotatably supported a sleeve 51 encircling the pedestal and provided with'a handle 52 for rotating said sleeve. The top 6a is provided centrally on its underside with a flat ring 53 suitably fixed thereto and the upper end of the sleeve 51 has a flange 54 engaging such ring. This provides a smooth bearing surface for the top of the rotatable sleeve.

In this form the brackets 21a are secured to the sleeve 51 and the links 23a connect such sleeve and brackets with the drop leaves 20a, by means of the hinges or pivot members 22a. Obviously therefore, rotation of the sleeve 51 on the pedestal, results in changing the distance between the points 21a and 22a, whereby to raise or lower the drop leaves, depending upon the direction of rotation. The locking member 14 can cooperate with the flange 54 on the sleeve 51, in the same manner as before explained in connection with thediska-'` It will thus be seen that I have provided a means whereby upon rotation `of a part on the table, either the top, the pedestal, or a sleeve on the pedestal, the result is to shorten or lengthen the distance between the pedestal and the drop leaves, depending upon the direction of rotation, and through the link connections between these parts, raise or lower such leaves.

Of course, changes may be made in details of construction and operation without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I do not limit myself therefore, to the exact form herein shown and described other than by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A table comprising a pedestal support, a top rotatable thereon, drop leaves hinged to said top and link connections between said pedestal and said leaves whereby the latter fold or unfold by rotation of said top, and releasable locking means for said top in the folded and unfolded positions of said leaves. K Y

2. A tablecomprising a pedestal support, a turntable disk thereon, a top lhaving a turntable disk adapted Yfor releasable, guided rotary engagement with'said first disk, drop leaves hinged to said top, and link connecting means between said pedestal and said leaves whereby the latter fold or unfold by rotation of `said top.

3. A table comprising a pedestal support, a turntable disk thereon, a top having a turntable disk adapted for releasable, guided rotary engagement with said first disk, drop leaves hinged to said top, link connecting means between said pedestal and said leaves whereby the latter fold or unfold by rotation of said top, a latchy on saidv top and means on said first named disk cooperating with said latch for releasably locking said top in the folded and unfolded positions of said leaves. f

HAROLD HOWE. 

